Presenter Bios

Farid Adjtoutah, architect, husband and father, journeyed around the world from age of 19 in a quest to quench his continued thirst for life meaning. He met with people of various traditions and faiths, in particular being touched deeply with the spiritual side and extended practices of yoga and meditation. After 15 years years peregrination a familiarity arose when meeting his true master “Mawlana Shaykh Nazim al Haqqani”, the late Grand Master of the Naqshbandi Sufi Order, a mystical path of a Sufi Ancient tradition known as “Al-Khwajagan / the Masters of Wisdom”. Farid get initiated and became a modern seeker by mean of “Companionship” along the way of love, service, truth and simplicity. The truest meaning of life disclosed for him as well as the conquering of its struggles. For the last 10 years, Farid has made countless journeys of missionary importance and continues with great passion. Gaining authorization to serve all seekers of peace, happiness and well being in their spiritual-awakenings and needs. Servant Farid currently leads spirituals gatherings of divine love, soul warming retreats and rituals as well as offering personal counseling. He speaks English, French, Arabic, Spanish and more.

Rich Bargdill, Ph.D. received his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Existential Psychology program at Duquesne University in Pittsburgh, PA. His dissertation was on people’s experiences of habitual boredom. He currently teaches at the Virginia Commonwealth University after spending a decade at Saint Francis University in Loretto, PA. He is the author of “An Artist’s Thought Book: intriguing thoughts about the artistic process.” He is also editor and co-editor of two upcoming books: “A History of Psychology’s Good Life” and “Introduction to Humanistic Psychology: a supplemental text. In addition, he has served as Secretary, Membership Chair and Member-at-Large for “The Society for Humanistic Psychology” which is Division 32 of the American Psychological Association. Finally, he has won awards for his very short poems and for some of his visual artwork. His sculpture called “I’m a tree chopped down everyday” was awarded 1st place at the official State Art show in Pennsylvania. Recently, he had both a painting and a poem appear in Stay Awhile: Poetic Narratives on Multiculturalism and Diversity.

Dr. Rodger Broome is an assistant professor at Utah Valley University teaching in the emergency services. He is a retired fire battalion chief and fire marshal who was responsible for fire code enforcement, community safety and development, and administrating the fire investigations team. He began his public safety career as a police officer where he served as a patrol officer for 7 years. As a police officer, he worked as a field training officer, medic on the SWAT team, and lead arson investigator. His education includes undergraduate degrees in criminal justice, fire science and psychology. Afterwards, he graduated from Saybrook University in San Francisco, California, USA, with a master’s and a doctorate degree in psychology. His research interests are in public safety and emergency worker psychology. Researched topics include: police firearms training, police vehicle pursuits, police shootings, firefighters’ building collapse survival, firefighter psychomotor training methods, and police dispatcher stress. He has been a volunteer member of the Utah Critical Incident Stress Management program since 2005 and currently a mental health consultant to the Provo City Police, Utah, USA. He still volunteers as a police patrol officer on a part-time basis.

Dr. Albert Chan joined the Beijing Normal University of Zhuhai School of Education in 2012 as a Visiting Professor of Psychology and also the Associate Director for the Applied Psychology Institute. In 2014, he has also joined the faculty of Psychology at Beijing Normal University, Beijing teaching programs in Master of Applied Psychology; and he serves as an Adjunct Professor for Macau University of Science and Technology. In clinical practice, this is the 3rd round that he is providing a 20 days training on family therapy and crisis management in Beijing for the local helping professionals. Albert has a Doctoral Degree in Clinical Psychology from the Colorado School of Psychology, and a Master Degree in Counseling Psychology from McGill University. He practices across the fields of social work, counseling psychology, management training and consultation. His additional professional certifications include Basic and Advanced Certifications of Critical Incident Debriefing, Community Crisis Response Trainer Training, Family Mediation, and Employment and Career Planning. Albert is a Clinical Fellow and Approved Supervisor of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy, Associate Member of the American Psychological Association (Division 32), and a member of the Ontario College of Social Workers. His training and diverse working experiences provide him not only the insights of understanding human nature and problems but also the breadth of a systemic perspective of human relations. His clinical working experiences across Asia, North-America, Central America and Europe have taught him the similar but different cross-cultural and universal human existential meanings.

Dr. Jason Dias is a novelist in Colorado Springs, Colorado. He was born in the U.S. but grew up in England, returning to America as a young man. In addition to writing, he teaches psychology to the underserved at his local community college as well as to graduate students at Saybrook University. He enjoy traveling to teach and learn more about existential psychology. His author page can be found at: http://www.amazon.com/Jason-Dias/e/B00K2EQQIY/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1

Todd DuBose, Ph.D. is a Full Professor at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology, where he is the Course Stream Coordinator for the Existential-Humanistic orientation. He is also a licensed clinical psychologist in private practice. He holds degrees in philosophy, religion and psychology, and is interested in the integration of contemporary Continental philosophy of religion and human science psychology. Specifically, his specialization is in existential-hermeneutical-phenomenological care for persons experiencing hopelessness or meaninglessness within life situations that are unwanted, unchangeable, irreversible, incurable or unrelenting. He has various multi-disciplinary, peer-reviewed publications, and supervises, consults and presents at various ocal, national, and international venues. He appreciates the gift of dialogue and friendship across countries, seas and cultures, especially the life-long project of discovering what it means to be a human be-ing in our shared existence.

Nathaniel Granger, Jr., PsyD is a graduate of the University of the Rockies (formerly Colorado School of Professional Psychology) where he received a Doctorate Degree in Clinical Psychology with a specialization in Forensics. He also received a Masters Degree in Counseling and Human Services and Bachelors Degree in Psychology from University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. He has received several awards and scholarships for demonstrated scholarly excellence and dedication to the field of psychology; with noted particular interests in Existential/Humanistic Psychology in areas relative to diversity and human dignity. Nathaniel Granger serves in many capacities in the arena of Human Services including founder and psychotherapist at Be REAL Ministries, Inc. in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Professor of Psychology at Pikes Peak Community College, and Saybrook University adjunct faculty member as part of the Existential, Humanistic, and Transpersonal Psychology Specialization. He is a member of American Psychological Association (APA) and is currently the Secretary of APA Division 32 Society of Humanistic Psychology. Dr. Granger’s energetic love for humanity is passionately exemplified and warmly accepted, and his doctoral dissertation, “Perceptions of Racial Microaggressions among African American Males in Higher Education: A Heuristic Inquiry,” along with in vivo experiences, and interests in Civil Rights are the substrata upon which a majority of his work in academia, writing and public speaking is predicated.

Candice Hershman Ph.D., LMFT, is an adjunct faculty member for the Behavioral Sciences Department at Santa Rosa Junior College. Candice also maintains a private therapy practice in the San Francisco bay area. Her orientation is existential-humanistic combined with somatic experiencing and creative arts approaches with a special focus on trauma and residual symptoms. Her doctoral research, Disciplined Poetry Practice And Its Effects On The Capacity For Presence: An Exploratory Multiple Case Study, earned her a nomination for Outstanding Dissertation with Saybrook University. Candice was also a 2010 recipient of the Rollo May Scholarship for her writing on poetry from an existential vantage point. Candice is a published poet and blogger.

Dr. Rainbow T. H. HO, Centre Director of Centre on Behavioral Health, The University of Hong Kong. Program Director of Master of Expressive Arts Therapy and M.Soc.Sc. (Behavioral Health). She has joined the Centre on Behavioral Health since 2004. She holds degrees in Biology, Anatomy, and Social Work and Social Administration, professional diplomas in performing arts (dance) and movement analysis, and pedagogy of dance and somatic movement therapy. She is a registered and board-certified dance movement therapist, a certified movement analyst, a registered medical technologist, and a registered dance teacher. Dr. Ho has extensive research experience in molecular cancer biology and clinical immunology. Her current research interests include psycho-oncology, psychoneuroimmunology, mind-body interventions, spirituality, dance movement therapy, creative arts therapies, and non-verbal communications in psychotherapy. Apart from teaching and research, Dr. Ho is also active in community services of promoting physical exercise, recreational activities, and healthy life style in clinical and healthy populations in Hong Kong.

Dominic Hoseman is a Ph.D. Student studying the relationship between equanimity and well-being. He completed a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Philosophy and Social Theory, Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Psychology, and a Masters in Psychology (Counselling). He is also completing a Certificate of Existential Practice with Centre for Existential Practice (Melbourne, taught by Alison Strasser). Dominic is currently working as a psychologist with children and adolescents.

Anne Hsu is a Mindfulness yogini, Existential Humanistic disciple and a stranger searching for home in a strange land. She is a registered clinical psychologist in Taiwan and a clinical psychology PhD student with Saybrook University. She holds a Masters of Science in clinical psychology from National Taiwan University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Simon Fraser University. She has worked with international students in National Taiwan University, as well as immigrants and expats in her private practice.

Dr. Louis Hoffman is an executive faculty member and director of the Existential, Humanistic, and Transpersonal Psychology Specialization at Saybrook University in San Francisco. He is a past-president of the Society of Humanistic Psychology, a division of the American Psychological Association, and author of seven books, including Existential Psychology East-West. He serves on the Editorial Board of several journals, including The Humanistic Psychologist, The Journal of Humanistic Psychology, PsycCRITIQUES: APA Review of Books, and Janus Head. An avid writer, he has published numerous books chapters and journal articles on a range of topics including existential and humanistic therapy, international psychology, diversity issues in psychology, poetry and therapy, and philosophical issues in psychology. As a licensed psychologist, Dr. Hoffman has many years of clinical experience providing therapy, supervision, and psychological assessments. Dr. Hoffman is active conducting trainings, giving conference presentations and lectures, and teaching courses in various countries around the world.

Theopia Jackson, PhD, is the Director of the Department of Humanistic and Clinical Psychologyat Saybrook University in Oakland, USA. She is also a licensed clinical psychologist at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospital Oakland in the Healthy Hearts Program where she provides child, adolescent, and family therapy services; trains psychology students; and specializes in serving chronically ill populations. She is a member of the Association of Family Therapists of Northern California (member of the Cultural Accountability Committee), American Psychological Association, The Society for Humanistic Psychology (appointed to the Diversity Task Force), The Association of Black Psychologists (Co-Chair for Education and Training). Dr. Jackson provides effective cultural competency workshops/seminars and is committed to serving children, adolescents and their families in diverse settings with special interest in the adaptability of western psychological theories and interventions in diverse multicultural contexts and healing practices. Most significantly, Dr. Jackson is a wife, mother of 3, oldest of 6 in a single-parent household and a life-long learner who believes that professional knowledge shapes and be shaped by community wisdom.

Bruce Lee is the founder of the Asia Humanistic-existential Technical Eclectic Psychotherapy Institute in Hong Kong and the Integrated International Psychotherapy Company Limited. Bruce has been in the field of human services and psychotherapy for around 10 years. His early specialty is developmental psychopathology and providing therapy for children and parents. Under the intense clinical training, Bruce is passionate about engaging in the school of Humanistic-Existential Approach and Technical Eclecticism. Therefore, he mainly applies these approaches for his clinical clients, mental health services and promotions in the public. In addition to seeing clients, Bruce also provides training for psychotherapists, social workers, and human services staff in the perspectives of the Humanistic-existential psychotherapy, Technical Eclectic psychotherapy, Child-centered Play Therapy, Sandplay, Crisis Intervention, Developmental Psychopathology, and Existential Expressive Art Therapy. He also provides mental health services and training courses for therapist in Asia. As Bruce always said, “the path of humanistic approach is not what you normally see in the textbook or hear from lectures or what you have already understood!”

Dr. Jung Kee Lee is the Director-In-Chief of the Existential Therapy Institute of Korea. He is also the President of the Korean Society of Spirituality and Psychotherapy. He is the former Graduate Dean and Professor of Pastoral Counseling at the Seoul Theological University as well as the Pastor of The United Methodist Church of USA. His written topics of interest include Christotherapy, pastoral counseling, and matters related to existence, spirituality and healing. Dr. Lee received his BA and MA from Seoul Theological University as well as a Master of Education from the University of Illinois, Chicago, USA. Finally, he completed his Masters of Theology and Ph.D. from the Chicago Theological Seminary in the United States.

Jenna Noah received her Masters degree in Contemplative Psychotherapy from Naropa University and is currently pursuing her PhD at Saybrook University with a specialization in Existential Psychology. Her dissertation is focused on sexuality and female empowerment. Jenna utilizes a somatic based approach in therapy and alongside her existential views uses Hakomi principles in her practice. Jenna works with clients individually and with couples and is working toward receiving a certification in Psychobiological Approach to Couple Therapy®. Jenna is a member of AGPA (American Group Psychological Association) and works with co-led groups in the Colorado area. Her main areas of interest include gender transitions, sexual disparities, LGBTQ issues, and couples work. Jenna values mindful body based awareness and present moment interventions in working with clients.

Dr. Ilene A. Serlin, Ph.D, BC-DMT,is a licensed psychologist and registered dance/movement therapist in practice in San Francisco and Marin county. She is the past president of the San Francisco Psychological Association, a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, past-president of the Division of Humanistic Psychology. Ilene Serlin has taught at Saybrook University, Lesley University, UCLA, the NY Gestalt Institute and the C.G. Jung Institute in Zurich. She is the editor of Whole Person Healthcare (2007, 3 vol., Praeger), over 100 chapters and articles on body, art and psychotherapy, and is on the editorial boards of PsycCritiques, the American Dance Therapy Journal, the Journal of Humanistic Psychology, Arts & Health: An International Journal of Research, Policy and Practice, Journal of Applied Arts and Health, and The Humanistic Psychologist.

Dr. Wang Xuefu is the founder and leading psychotherapist of Zhi Mian Institute for Psychotherapy in Nanjing, China. He is also the president of China Society of Existential Psychotherapy as well as the recipient of the Charlotte and Karl Budhler Award, APA’s Society of Humanistic Psychology.

Dr. Mark Yang is a licensed clinical psychologist and co-founder and director of the International Institute of Existential-Humanistic Psychology (http://www.iiehp.org), whose mission is to promote Humanistic-Existential Psychology and provide counseling skills training to mental health professionals in Asia. He is also an adjunct professor, the director of the Existential-Humanistic Programs in Asia, and the Co-Director of the International Psychology Certificate Program at Saybrook University (www.saybrook.edu). He is actively involved in the training and supervision of psychology students from the Humanistic-Existential Perspective throughout Asia. His professional interests include: Existential Psychology, Individual and Group Psychotherapy, Grief and Bereavement Counseling, Legal and Ethical Issues in Clinical Practice, and Cross-Cultural Psychology. He was born in Taiwan and immigrated with his family to the United States when he was nine years old.